Living a Pawn
by Seshetta
Summary: My marriage to Prince Zuko was just supposed to be a clause in a treaty and nothing more. my husband ended up being beautiful and horrible. I wasn't supposed to love him, but I did anyways. [Zutara]
1. Prologue: his name

**Living a Pawn **

**By: Seshetta **

**Prologue: his name **

The short letter sent to my father by the Fire Nation Embassy was folded in my small, shaking hands. The red wax seal stamped with the fire nation insignia had not been broken yet. The clean, slightly yellowed surface of the official letter emitted a heart-sinking sense of foreboding that I imagined could be felt throughout the entire North Pole.

The contents of this letter would affect the entire water tribes. The homes surrounding the palace I lived in, every mother, father, and child who had probably just sat down to dinner would be affected either negatively or positively by the contents of the tiny yellowed and sealed note I held in my hands.

"Are you going to open it?" my father lay a large, withered hand on my shoulder. I should have felt comforted, but at that moment I couldn't feel anything. Behind me, my mother stood pacing and wringing her hands nervously.

It struck me as funny, as I slipped my finger under a wax seal to break it, how one letter could affect everyone from the smallest child wandering below our castle to me, Katara, princess of the northern water tribes.

The note fell open almost of its own accord after the seal had been broken. It was all I could do not to throw the letter across the room and run away.

"_Dearest water Tribe allies, _

_Yes. Your proposal is most pleasing to the Fire Lord. The arrangements will be made to retrieve the bride's dowry. Prince Zuko is most pleased. We will send a bridal litter for Princess Katara in one week's tim and terms for the negotiation of the treaty will be discussed in one week. See to it that you can make it to the fire nation capital on time. _

_Sincerely, _

_Kaido Shan-- head Secretary to the fire lord." _

I closed my eyes, absorbing everything that I had just read. It was a short note, but it meant volumes to the water tribe.

There was to be a treaty between the water tribe and the fire nation, the two most powerful nations in existence. The treaty's main clause was Prince Zuko and I's marriage.

I had never met Prince Zuko. His name, printed in black in long, neat handwriting on that yellow note could represent anybody. He could be a drooling, snot bubble blowing three year old. That actually wouldn't be half bad. Three year olds were better than eighty year olds. There was a very slim chance he was even around my age.

I should have felt happy though, as if the world had been lifted off my shoulders. The water tribe was safe from the brewing war the fire nation had been planning for so long. Those problems were gone, but a whole new set of problems had been laid on my shoulders. Marriage was imminent.

"This is amazing news, Katara," my mother said after my father had relayed the news to her and backed out of the parlor.

"I know, I look forward to the marriage," I said. My voice was subdued, and I knew my mother would be able to see through my horrible attempt at lying.

"Katara, don't pretend like you're happy to be married. However, you should be happy at this opportunity to help your country, to save thousands of people's lives. The fire nation will never attack the Northern Water tribes. You have done your country an amazing service and I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you mom."

My mother backed out of the parlor; silently save for the swish of her light blue robes against the marble floor tiles.

I threw the letter onto the shiny silver meeting table used for discussions and negotiations. Prince Zuko's name, written in that beautiful calligraphy, was burned into my brain. The name that didn't define anyone, the name and title that my fiancé bore.

I thought of what my name was to become:

Princess Katara of the Fire Nation.

That didn't sound at all right.


	2. I: the fire palace

**Living a Pawn **

**By: Seshetta **

**Chapter I: the fire palace **

The marriage litter sent by the fire nation was beautiful. It clashed magnificently with the ice, water, and hues of blue surrounding it, but I couldn't deny its beauty.

The littered bearers wore nothing but traditional fire nation Frog tunics embroidered in lace and gold. Their over muscular arms were oiled so they shone. I imagined they were very cold, but they didn't show it. Their heads were shaved and just as shiny as their muscles; I blushed a bit at their half nakedness as I walked past them.

The poles of the litter were carved into twisting patterns, painted alternately in red and gold. There was a red velvet cover on the exterior, which I saw could be held back in a drape like manner by gold hooks fastened to the outside of the litter poles. On the interior, there was a thin, gauzy red mosquito veil that offered no privacy, but I imagined would keep the non existent arctic bugs away from me.

My father had already departed for the treaty conference the night before. He would be waiting for me at the fire lord's country palace to be present at the wedding reception. My mother would have to stay at home and, you know, rule the country and stuff.

I sat in the litter, my legs folded under me. People of the water tribes lined up around the streets, watching me leave with resigned expressions on their faces. I felt angry at them—they should be happy that I was sacrificing myself to keep them from death and war!

I smiled and waved, they all waved back, but I could see wives crying for the fate of their princess. No water tribe maiden had been married off to the fire nation before.

"Thank you, Princess Katara," one small child shouted out from the multitude of gatherers. I gave the girl a brilliant smile, but all the adults around her gave disapproving frowns.

We wound down the cold streets until the crowd dispersed and the city ceased to be. I pulled the velvet curtain around me again, and lay my head down. The litter bearers were so steady I could hardly tell we were moving.

The thought came upon me that the litter bearers may want a rest.

I poked my head out between the curtains, steadying myself on the wooden pole running up the side. The arctic winds blew into my face, momentarily obscuring my vision by making my eyes water. I couldn't imagine how the litter bearers must feel.

"Excuse me," I said timidly to the one in the front right. He didn't turn around. "Listen to me," I said, with a bit more authority.

"Yes, most esteemed fiancé of the prince," he said without turning or even looking in my direction. I blew an irritated sigh out of my nose.

"Do you want to take a break? I mean, I can walk to the ship. We're out of the city."

"No," was his curt but not disrespectful answer.

I sighed. In my very infinitesimal knowledge of Fire nation culture, I'd learned that the culture was dripping with nostalgic tradition. Every tradition, including the bridal litter, was held near and near to fire nation hearts, even when they weren't in the Fire nation.

After about an hour of sitting back and thinking of absolutely nothing, I realized that Sokka would be getting the letter my father sent him right about now. He was spending the summer in the earth kingdom with his fiancé, Sukki.

After that realization, I couldn't go back to mind-numbingly staring at the silk draped across the roof and wondering what would happen if it started to snow. I couldn't help but wonder what his reaction would be, and if he would be able to attend my wedding or the treaty conference on the short notice we'd been given by the fire nation.

I fell asleep; I have no idea for how long, but when I woke up from my dreamless sleep, the litter had stopped. I poked my head in between the curtains and I realized that I was no longer five feet off the ground. I was sitting right in the snow, and the moisture was beginning to creep up the valuable silk curtains. I pulled them off to the side and hooked them around the hooks, but it didn't do much good as the better half was still trailing in the snow.

When I looked around, I realized that the litter bearers were now acting as guards; standing straight and tall with their muscular arms crossed forebodingly and their eyes narrowed in a constant glare.

I looked to my left, and realized what was going on. I was about to board a royal fire nation ship to take me to the outer rings of the fire nation, where my travel by litter would probably be resumed.

A kindred looking old man waddled right through my line of vision, taking almost no notice of me.

"Excuse me!" I shouted. The men standing around me shot glances at me, and then glanced at the subject of my summons.

"Yes, most esteemed fiancé of Prince Zuko," the man said. He looked like he might burst out laughing at the title I'd just learned earlier that I now bore.

"Just call me Katara, please." I thought about adding how silly the title was but thought better about saying it in the presence of these fire nation men.

"As you wish, Katara." He still seemed to find all these niceties laughable. I waited for him to tell me his name, but he simply looked me over curiously. "What is your name?" I asked.

"Oh! Forgive me, I'm Iroh; the fire lord sent me to inquire upon the health of my nephew's fiancé."

"You're Prince Zuko's uncle?" I asked excitedly. I wanted to know as much as possible about my soon to be husband, although I had already decided to not like him.

"Yes, yes I am." The man didn't really seem to get the point; as he didn't elaborate any more.

"What's he like?" I asked, sitting on the floor of my litter and staring intently at Iroh.

"Well, he's a magnificent fire bender. He has a lot of power and pride. He… never really got on well with his father or his sister. He's about your age, I suppose. How old are you?"

"16"

"Well, you see now, he's 17! I must say, the fire lord has more smarts than many give him credit for. He seems to have arranged the perfect marriage for you and for Zuko!"

Even as he said it, I knew he didn't believe it. I didn't either. What was the use of me marrying a man who "didn't get on well with his father"? Clearly his father had thrown aside his least favorite to marry the troublesome water tribe girl. I seethed with anger at the new development.

Iroh could see that I'd drawn some conclusion in my mind from his words. Regret at telling me anything instantly flashed across his face, and then kindness took over.

"Katara, I think that everything will work out in the end; Zuko is strong-willed, but he will be tamed by you, I can see that already."

Iroh stood up to walk towards the ship.

I nearly toppled out of the litter when it was lifted again several moments later. I gave a small shriek, which everyone ignored, and pulled myself back in. I looked through the gauzy netting hanging about me to see that we were headed towards the large, steel, pointed animal the fire nation called a "Royal transport ship".

**-- **

My journey was long and boring. The things I had brought, which had been stowed in a compartment underneath the litter, never got unpacked. I wore the same dress for all of the exhausting traveling days.

In retrospect, the days shouldn't have been all that exhausting. I spent nearly all my time in my warm, perfumed room. The room was comfortable and they provided a tub of water for me to bend with.

In the royal palace, I'd been taught a special kind of bending, named Tui-la for the push and pull that kept the world balanced: Tui-la, fire and water, earth and air.

I practiced that bending everyday. My instructors would be proud, but truthfully I wasn't practicing the disciplined forms they'd taught me. I'd been doing it since I was 3; my body was trained and disciplined in being dainty and light. I could do magnificent leaps and turns, taking the water behind me and twining it through the dance.

I'd had a none-bender teach me the moves, and my grandfather, Master Pakku, taught me the bending to go along with it. It had taken many, many years to become disciplined in it. I'd been called the best in the land, but I wasn't sure if that was because I was a princess, or if it was because it was true.

Iroh stopped by everyday like clockwork with tea and "Fire flakes". I drank the tea gratefully, and gathered the fire flakes in my dress when he wasn't looking, to be thrown out my porthole window when he left.

On my armoire, reflected in the mirror, lay a necklace with a small blue stone. My mother had given it to me an hour after I'd gotten my letter. Back then it hadn't meant much, just a beautiful gift from my caring mother, but now I clung to it with desperation. After I was married it would be my last reminder of home and family.

**--**

When we arrived at the fire nation, I had no sense of time. However, I assumed it was mid-day because the sun burned down, making my litter hot and making me sweat. The sun seemed brighter here, maybe it was because I was no longer among icy whites and blues, but among healthy rows of crops, neat white fences, and brightly dressed people.

Luckily, the fire lord's country palace was only about three miles away from the port where we landed.

This time, while I was carried down the streets, my litter had a procession following it, including Iroh and all the fire nation employees from the boat.

People gathered along the route we were taking, applauding and cheering. I smiled and waved. I was sure these people had no idea what they were cheering about, they probably had no idea the war that their fire lord was about to start.

I had permanently drawn the velvet curtains away, so I was subject to stares from everybody. On all sides, people were hungrily staring at me, probably looking for deformities they could gossip about, or looking for things I did wrong.

In the distance, I could see homes perched atop the crest of a large hill, all overlooking the healthy farm land. These homes were all large and stately, not at all like the homes in the water tribes, nor like any peasant homes I'd ever seen. The Fire Nation's people were most definitely prosperous ones.

The tall spires of the palace broke over the horizon after about two hours of heat, sweating, and waving. I never though I'd be praising the gods in the sight of the fire nation palace, but I was. Both of my wrists were sore and stiff from waving.

The palace stood tall and proud; it was made of white marble and was surrounded by trees. There was a small, man made pond nestled in the expanse of garden that reached to the right of the palace. I made out a wedding arch being set aflame, in the custom of the fire nation.

In only about two hour's time I'd be married to Prince Zuko, a man I'd never met.

**A/N: updates will be slow, because my laptop is in for repairs and I have to share my parents' computer with them. This chapter was edited really quickly, and it's only about 5 pages long. Sorry about that. **

**Thank you to my reviewers, you guys rock my socks off! **


	3. II: the blushing bride

**Living a Pawn **

**By: Seshetta **

**Chapter II: The blushing Bride **

My journey through the Fire nation palace to the bridal chamber seemed almost as long as the one to the fire nation itself. The entire palace seemed to consist of long, twisting corridors with high picture windows and sconces burning with (what else) fire.

Occasionally, the long corridors would taper out into a lounge or some other room of no importance, but the entire court seemed to be gone as I came across no living soul through the entire journey.

When asked where everyone was, the maid guiding me, whose name was Sui, replied:

"Oh, they're all in the main sector of the castle. We're in a completely separate hall, used only in weddings. You're not allowed to see the castle proper until you're married. That's why there's no windows to the left of us, for the castle is only three cubits off."

Of course, some other nostalgic tradition. I smiled as if I approved of it, and followed the squat but surprisingly swift lady to my bridal chambers.

The hall dead-ended at a door. Opening the door, Sui led me into the smallest, but most elaborately decorated room we'd seen yet.

There was a small chaise lounge chair upholstered in fine velvet in one corner with a gold decorative pillow, beaded in red thrown carelessly across the armrest. On the cold red-brick floor there was a thick tapestry-rug that depicted a great battle in fire nation history. The primary colors were red and gold. On one wall there was a clean, gilded mirror that would have reflected the entire body of someone much taller than me. Next to it was an intricately carved armoire. At the top and bottom there were scrolls, birds, and fire carved into the wood. The handles had the fire nation insignia carved deeply into them.

I noticed a note lying on the headrest of the chaise lounge.

"Your father left this for you earlier," the maid said as soon as she saw that I'd noticed it.

I picked up the clean scroll. The note was written in my father's personal royal blue ink that he saved for special occasions.

"_Dear Katara, _

"_I'm so happy you're getting married that I could cry tears of joy as I write. I know you will be happy, as I have talked to Fire Lord Ozai at the peace treaty conference and he seems a very reasonable man, just like I'm sure his son is. You are to become queen of the Fire Nation when he dies, that is what we primarily agreed on. At his time of death, which he reckons to be soon, you will be in charge of keeping ties between the water tribes and the fire nation. You must understand that this is a pivotal part of the treaty, as with a true princess (a true princess being one in line for the throne) from the water tribes; the fire nation can't possibly attack us (and ONLY with a true princess). Although I trust Ozai indefinitely, make SURE this happens, as after he dies, who knows what will happen from there. _

"_I've left a gift for you in the armoire, the fire lord says he approves very much of it and would love for you to wear it today. I hope you like it!_

"_Your loving father,_

"_Hakoda" _

I smiled at the joyous words of my father. I never remembered him approving of the fire lord that much, but I dismissed it. Apparently we had as many prejudices against the fire nation as they had nostalgic traditions.

I crept to the armoire as if I was a naughty child stealing a cookie, afraid to be caught.

When I opened the doors, they made a vast creaking noise. I spun around, still the child expecting to be caught, but Sui gave me a nod of encouragement, a smile painted across her round, young face.

"Oh!" I exclaimed as the light burning from an overhead chandelier fell on my gift. It was a beautiful wedding dress, fashioned from the most expensive silks.

"I will help you to get washed and dressed if you like," Sui said. The tone of her words basically spelled out that I had no choice. I decided to be dignified about it, even though I'd never been washed or dressed by someone else.

"Yes, please," I said. She smiled demurely once again. Once her smiling, which seemed to go on for several moments, was done, she took me forcefully by the arm and stripped me to my undergarments in less than a second. I stood awkwardly in the center of the room, with nothing on, trying to hide myself with my small, compact frame with my arms.

Sui shoved me forward towards a pair of dark stained accordion doors. I opened them and found a square pink marble bathtub that took up the entire space lined with wooden containers of soaps bearing their name and a small scooper. Overhead hung a smaller version of the bronze chandelier from the main chamber.

Warm water had already been drawn in preparation for me, and when I opened the doors curls of steam billowed out into the airy chamber.

I stepped in of my own accord before Sui shoved me in. The water was hot, but I sunk into it, wanting the cover for my nearly bare body.

Sui indicated the soaps to the side.

"What scent?" she asked. I surveyed the neatly lined up boxes. Each one was decorated with its scent in almost identical calligraphy to the one on the letter I'd received from the fire nation only days before.

The scents were ones you'd expect to find in an Earth Kingdom herbal and botanical store, not in a fire nation palace. They were things like: 

"_Karma flower" "Apple Clover" "Black Cherry" _and_"Bergamont Coriander. _When I reached the fourth title, I pointed to that box.

"I'll take that one," I said confidently. I'd never heard of it, and I was curious. Besides, I didn't really care what I _smelled _like.

"As you wish," she said. She took the scooper and let one hearty scoop of the powder fall into the water. She dipped her hand in and stirred it around. I scooted away as quickly as I could.

The scent was a refreshing one; it had a hint of salt, many fresh flowers, and something like the smell of freshly cut grass, only much crisper and more refreshing. But the most overpowering scent was crisp peppermint contrasted by warm vanilla. It absurdly reminded me of the Arctic Ocean. It was my new favorite scent.

I soaked in that for several minutes, until I felt Sui's talon-like hands grasp my scalp and pull my head under.

I spluttered and gasped as I came back up, and I was about to protest, when she dunked my head again. The next time I came back up, I didn't say anything, as she had begun smoothing a scentless paste into my hair.

"Such pretty hair you have, like nothing I've ever seen," she said. I smiled as she continued. "It's long and wavy and thick, the only hair I've ever seen is straight, sleek, and black. Yours is like chocolate," she said with a sigh.

"Thank you very much." I suddenly liked Sui a lot more, and relaxed into her ministrations of my scalp.

**--**

Once the tugging, primping, plucking, squeezing, and powdering were done, I didn't look like myself at all.

As I stared into the gold lined mirror, I realized that it was me, staring back, just a much older me. Maybe even my distant relative.

The dress my father had supplied was beautiful. It was light blue all around, and showed modest amounts of my chest and left my arms completely bare. This was unheard of in a traditional water tribe wedding, owing for the temperature.

The top, from the chest all the way to my hips, was tight and form fitting. In fact, it was very corset-like, thrusting my bosom up extremely uncomfortably and giving the impression that I had a medium sized bosom. I didn't like that about the dress, because I didn't like dresses that made me look like something I wasn't.

The skirt fanned out gracefully into folds of light blue silk, with small diamonds engrained in them. It just trailed a bit on the ground, successfully covering the silk slippers I wore. My neck was naked save for the strap of silk I wore with the small disk on it.

--

The wedding area, set up in the garden, was set up for a short and simply diplomatic wedding. Fire nation ceremonies were different that water tribe ones.

The first time I saw my husband, the long veil that I couldn't even see out of was lifted by him after my father guided my down the aisle.

He had a grim, rather handsome face set in a marble scowl. He was much paler than I was, and his eyes were an exotic golden color, lighter than all the other members of the fire nation's.

The thing that struck me most about him was the scar that painted one whole side of his face. He stared at me, his gold eyes bearing into me, as if daring me to stare at his scar. I simply smiled fearfully and pretended to be hung on every word Lord Ozai said as he performed the ceremony.

Ozai stood on a flaming platform, towering above the small congregation of people, his voice ringing out over the entire audience. His hair was much longer than his son's top knot. It was long and maybe a shade lighter, half of it was tied up atop his head, behind his golden crown. He wasn't unlike his son in the way that his face was smooth, handsome, and marble-like, but he was much more lively and vivacious, I could see how he coaxed my father into liking him so much.

"Prince Zuko, you may now kiss princess Katara."

The kiss took me by surprise. The prince stretched out one long, pale hand and wrapped it around the back of my neck. Our lips met for only two seconds in the sweetest, most chaste kiss ever witnessed at a fire nation wedding. The small crowd applauded politely. My brother had not made it to the ceremony in time.

I forced a smile as we walked back down the aisle. The prince kept a cautious no contact space between us the entire time.

We kept walking past empty chairs, following the gold carpet, even though there were no guests left to watch us. The carpet led right into the grand foyer of the palace.

The foyer had vaulted ceilings, and sconces burning in nooks placed evenly along the wall.

However, the thing that drew my immediate attention was a man garbed in gold robes with a hood over his face and two small children garbed in red with flaming palms outstretched flanking him.

The descended upon us immediately, the man in gold robes chanting while the child on his left took my hair down.

"What are they doing?" I asked, more to myself than to my new husband standing next to me.

"The traditional blessing after the wedding. You're not allowed to wear your hair up after you're married, the priest's attendants see to that. Then they'll lead us to our marital bed and lock us in until the sun's first awakening tomorrow."

I blushed at the part about the "marital bed" but the prince said it flippantly, as if he was a machine.

We were in fact, led forward by the priest. He turned and the Prince swiftly followed, grabbing me tightly by the arm.

"ouch," I hissed. He gave me one fierce silencing look and I immediately made myself as silent as possible.

The priest was muttering blessings the entire way there, and the children now flanked us. I eyed their outstretched palms worriedly. In the water tribe, fire was not something to be trifled with. We knew its destructive powers and almost feared it.

We were led into what I assumed was our "marital chamber". As quickly as they had descended upon us, the priest and his strange attendants were gone.

The room must have been at least five times larger than my bridal chambers. The bed alone was the size of my whole bridal chamber. It was a smooth, flat square with thin, red sheets. There was no use for a quilt in the heat of the fire nation.

There was a bronze chandelier lit with fire hanging overhead, instantly making me uneasy. There was an elaborate armoire twice as wide, but otherwise identical to the one that resided in my bridal chamber. On the other side of the room, accordion doors that I assumed lead to the bathing chambers were closed tightly. There was, mercifully, a changing screen with a painting of a beautiful lady bending fire backed against a corner of the room.

At my feet was a thick rug, once again depicting a fire nation battle, but this battle much grander for the rug took up a much large room that the other one had. Behind our for poster bed, was a tapestry with the fire nation insignia on it; plain compared to the rug and other furnishing of the room.

The prince had already opened the armoire and walked into the bathroom with a pair of black pants draped over his arm. I crept forward to check the golden double doors and see if he was lying about locking us in. I pulled the handles, but the door moved an inch before stopping with a jolt. He wasn't lying.

I heaved a resigned sigh and opened the armoire myself. There was nothing but fire nation clothing in reds and golds.

I pulled out a simple, lightweight cotton dress that I supposed could be used for sleeping. I pulled off my wedding dress and pulled on the cotton one behind the changing screen, praising the gods for the rush of air that filled my crushed lungs.

I sat at the table in front of the gilded mirror hanging on the wall. I took a silver backed comb, carved with, what else, a fire nation ship blowing off steam and pulling into a harbor. I brushed out my hair, which was left soft and tangle free from the past Sui put into my hair.

I heard a door to the left of me creak open, a small door I'd never noticed that led off into an adjoining chamber.

"Hello?" I asked worriedly. It was a tall, pale girl with sleek black hair. She had a pretty, but rather pointed face.

"I'm Lady Mai," she said stoically. "I'll be your lady in waiting."

**A/N: ooh, cliffie, but not too huge, right? **

**I actually got this out on time! I'm shocked and amazed! Oh well, I need to sleep, I have a volleyball game tomorrow, so I'll just say that my reviewers are amazing, wonderful, fantastic, and incredibly lovely. Thank you! **


	4. III: Consummation

**Living a pawn **

**By: Seshetta**

**Chapter III: Consummation**

"Mai, hello, it's good to meet you," I said, giving a small curtsey as was the custom in the water tribes.

"In the fire nation, we do not curtsey to people below our rank," she deadpanned. Her eyes were not on me, she was looking about the room in a rather fascinated but bored manner. She could pull off that exact manner, and make you think you saw it everyday. Just looking at her made me want to yawn widely.

"Thank you for your help," I said. I still thought that everyone deserved a curtsey when they were introduced, just as a sign of mutual respect.

She gave a sweeping, low curtsey. It was one much more intricate than any I'd ever learned; she picked up the front of her skirts, bent her knees and back, and extended her palm towards me. She held that position for several awkward moments before she finally came back up.

"That is how people of lower rank curtsey to those of higher rank," she said in the same monotone as ever. I nodded, trying to memorize the position that her body had been in.

"Thank you Lady Mai," I said in a dismissive tone. Mai's eyes fell on something in the back of the room, and they lit with a slight fear and something else unrecognizable before she dropped into a hurried curtsey once again.

"No, thank you, Princess," she said before scuttling out from whence she came.

I turned to see the Prince standing behind me. He had been surveying the situation with hooded, calculating eyes. He looked rather disgusted, his upper lip curled ever so slightly at the corner in a ridiculing sneer.

"Who was that?" I asked, looking down as to keep my eyes from his bare chest. He had several minor burn marks and cuts over the smooth, hard, and defined planes of his chest and abdomen.

"Mai, your lady in waiting." I could hear the unspoken "of course" in his tone of voice.

"That's not what I meant," I said, minor frustration evident in my voice. "I mean, I can tell there's a story behind her. Tell me."

His brows (or brow) furrowed in disapproval and his sneer lowered into a well-worn frown. I frowned and lowered my own eyebrows, giving him a pointed stare.

"There's nothing to say. She was deemed un-marriable, therefore useless, and to keep her in the upper classes her parents offered her up as your new lady's maid."

"Is that all?" It was a dumb question; of course it wasn't all. My husband didn't trust me with the intimate details hidden in the courts of the fire nation.

"Yes."

I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms low over my abdomen, putting all my weight on one foot and surveying his lying face as if to say "I don't believe a word you're saying."

He ignored my inquiring looks, and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the rug on the floor. I thought to ask him what battle was depicted in the thick tapestry, but remembered I was angry at him.

"Katara…" he said. My name, spoken in such a cold and uncaring voice, didn't sound like my name at all. I'd always been loved and accepted, I'd never been regarded coldly just as this man was doing now.

I put the silver backed comb, still clutched loosely in my hands, back on the wooden dressing table.

"What?" I snapped, still irritated at him. His eyes grew wary and a flash of golden anger streaked across their surface.

"We have to consummate our marriage, soon," he said. His voice was uncaring, but I could tell he didn't want to be the one having this conversation with me.

"I'm only 16, I think we have time."

"In the fire nation, women as young as 13 are married and bear children," he said, his old demeanor of power once again assumed. I didn't explain that this wasn't physically possible for most women. "You have one year to bear me a child before the marriage is annulled." He seemed to enjoy the momentary quake of fear that I felt. I sneered at him, my anger strengthened by his self-righteousness.

"Well, obviously I have time. Thank you and goodnight."

I turned my back on him and slid under the thin cotton covers of the wide four poster bed, staring at the bronze posters complete with shining flames curling towards the top. I sighed; even in my sleep I would be surrounded by bronze flames. I already found myself missing the cool ice and endless channels of water of the northern Water Tribe.

When I felt the bed sag as Zuko climbed on, and after he had snuffed the lights out with firebending, I turned to face his back; the moonlight was glowing softly from an overhead window, throwing soft white light on the outline of his bare shoulder blades. He didn't look asleep; he looked as dead as the black night outside. He didn't snore, he didn't move a muscle. I wondered if he dreamed in the thick blanket of unconsciousness surrounding him.

"Goodnight," I whispered, even though he was asleep. It was my way of making it up to him; and it was all I would do. If I had to bear him a child, so be it, but I would _not _do it anywhere in the near future.

Maybe I could negotiate my way out of it; I'd always been a good negotiator.

Worst of all, as I looked around in my state of exhaustion, I dimly registered that not one single drop of water was anywhere in our room.

**--**

When I awoke the next day, Prince Zuko was nowhere to be found. I rolled into the center of the bed and stretched luxuriously, my long chocolate locks fanning our around me on the silk pillow.

Sun streamed in from the towering windows on the Eastern wall. Small particles of dust swirled and danced, creating dots of shadows in the patches of light on the floor.

"Princess Katara, you are awake."

I shot up in bed at the sound of the low alto voice, only to see Lady Mai sitting in a corner.

"Come, you must get ready and go to breakfast." She said.

I allowed her to lead me into the bathing chambers. I was shocked at what I saw. The bathing chambers were a wide, very public room. It seemed that each room in our hall had a door or passage leading to the bathing chambers. Luckily, it was late, and only two people sat in the wide, shallow pool flanked by tall pink Corinthian columns. Steam rose from the pool, and the attention of the two occupants was called as the closing of the folding door echoed throughout the chamber.

"Wow, this is big," I said a bit fearfully. Luckily, it seemed this was a women's only bathing chamber, as the door next to it was the door I'd seen Zuko coming out of after bathing the night before.

My comment echoed throughout the great marble room, but no one seemed to take notice. Mai simply nodded.

One wall was covered in a single piece of marble polished so highly that it reflected everything perfectly, as if it was a mirror. The opposite wall was carved in flames, twisting and curling towards the roof, where tarnished silver chandeliers, each as wide as my room, burned high with orange flames. The steaming bathing pool in the center was surrounded on three sides by pink marble columns. The last side was completely made in wide steps, which led into the water.

Mai led me forward, to the last wall, where several screens concealed changing areas.

"Take everything but your underclothes off, and get in the water," she instructed before disappearing behind a changing screen herself.

I stripped down to my undergarments, and emerged from behind the screen, where Mai was already waiting for me with her arms crossed.

She led me to the water's edge. When I dipped my left foot in to mount the first step, I assumed the water would be fresh, clean water. It wasn't; it was boiling hot and a strange soap had been added to it. The soap made my skin tingle refreshingly.

Instead of hesitating, I stepped all the way in, my breath catching a bit as the water submerged me up to my shoulders, but I saved face. I didn't want the other ladies at the end of the pool to think their new princess pathetic.

The two girls on the other side of the pool made no gesture for us to come over, but Mai led me forward. As we walked, the pool got shallower until finally we arrived in front of the girls .The water was about up to my thighs.

"Hello Princess Azula," Mai said, remaining standing. The taller, pale girl turned her head to face us, as if she'd just noticed we were there. Her long, sleek black hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Her face was beautiful, her pale skin stretched flawlessly and smoothly over her high cheekbones and pointed nose. Her eyes were a dimmer gold than her brother's, and they tilted upward at the outer corners. She surveyed us both coldly for a split second.

"Mai, so good to see you," she said, her voice smooth with practice.

"Mai! Hey!" the girl next to her said. She was slightly less pale than Azula, and her hair was up in a high, pink braid secured by a pink fastener.

"May I introduce Princess Katara," Mai said, a formal tone in her voice. I stood awkwardly as the golden-brown gaze of both of the girls fell on me.

"Hello, Princess Katara, it is so nice to meet the newest member of the royal family," Azula said in a formal, welcoming tone. I smiled instantly, happy with my warm reception.

"Thank you Princess Azula," I said.

"May I introduce Ty-Lee, my lady in waiting?" Azula indicated the girl next to her. I smiled, but refrained from curtseying, remembering what Mai had said the night before.

"Hello Princess Katara," Ty-Lee said in a formal tone completely un-befitting her girlish and fun appearance.

I sat in the water next to Azula, and leaned my head against the edge of the bathing pool. Only after I had sat down did Mai sit down.

"This is heavenly," I commented.

"Yes, everyone comes down here every morning. Ty-Lee and I prefer a more relaxing stint without the bathing crowds to bother us," Azula said.

"I completely agree Princess Azula, though I've never been down here before, I can tell it would be less relaxing with people crowding around me."

"Oh, you don't have to address me as Princess Azula, just Azula is fine," she said, turning to face me and take both my hands in her own. "We're just like sister now."

**A/N: Azula creeps me out. **

**The bathing chambers in this chapter are modeled after the Roman public baths. Look them up on Google, if you must.**

**I'm having so much fun depicting the royal life! I'm taking some artistic licenses, but if that's ok with you, it's ok with me. **

**MY REVIEWERS ARE THE MOST AMAZING PEOPLE EVER AND I LOVE YOU ALL WITH ALL MY HEART, KEEP THE REVIEWS COMING PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!!!**

_**Yes, I'm that girl who types in caps-lock when she's excited. Sue me. **_


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